Town of Otis
Select Board Meeting Minutes
March 27, 2018
Meeting called to order at 7:00 pm in the Town Hall conference room. It’s being recorded and a quorum is present.
Present: Select Board Chair Bill Hiller, Selectman Gary Thomas, Selectman Don Hawley, Town Administrator Becky Stone, Michael Ernst, Terry Gould, Mike O’Brien, Judi Mabee, Thom Garvey, Sonia Morrison, Hal Kobrin, Jeff Lynch, Bill Dyer, Derek Poirier, John O’Brien, William Hyland, Louis Comarato, Brad Curry, Becky Cushing, Patrick O’Brien, David Schweitzer, Diane Provenz
Approval of Minutes: The February 27, 2018 Select Board meeting minutes were modified and unanimously approved. Amendments were made to the March 20, 2018 Select Board minutes and were unanimously approved with the changes.
Continuance of Public Hearing for Discontinuing Road Maintenance: The initial hearing last January was to get information on how the public felt. Discontinuing Maintenance of a road does not remove it from remaining a public way. Tonight, the Select Board unanimously voted to Discontinue Maintenance on Miller Swamp Road, Tolland Road from house number 885 to the town line, and Witter Road. Blandford’s Highway Department was reassured this would not impact their access to their side of Miller Swamp Road. The original house number listed for Tolland Road, #881, was incorrect so the house number was amended to the proper house number after discussion made it clear everyone was talking about the same dwelling. There was discussion as to whether Witter Road was privately owned or town owned, but that did not affect the decision either way whether to Discontinue Maintenance.
Due to the many voices requesting Stebbins Road and Miner Road remain as they are, the Select Board decided these two roads, including both sections of Stebbins Road, would remain in their current status as to maintenance of the roads.
Board of Health: Nothing to report
Animal Inspector/Control Officer Paperwork: All forms were checked for accurate information. Rebecca signed the one form as Supervisor. Other form will be sent to Town Clerk for the Animal Control Officer to sign and then it will be notarized and sent to Boston.
Other:
Federal Grant: Westfield is applying for a CAF II federal grant for the fiber internet network and since they are designated as our internet provider, they asked us to join them in the grant application. A percent of the money pool will be issued over a number of years to those awarded the grant and the percent will be determined by the size of the project.
Historical Commission: They submitted a letter that the Select Board requested from them. This has questions for Town Counsel and the letter will be submitted to him. They requested a written response, and the Select Board will include that request, but no one has control over what form the response will take.
The regular Select Board meeting was unanimously adjourned at 7:36 pm.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lisa D’Orazio
Selectmen’s Secretary
Town of Otis
List of Documents
- A copy of the notice of Public Hearing Continuance will be filed with these meeting minutes.
- A copy of the letters from Mass Audubon and Lynch-Scrimo requested their respective roads not be discontinued for maintenance will be filed with these meeting minutes.
- A copy of the email from Historical Commission and the attachment provided to be sent to Town Counsel will be filed with these meeting minutes.
- A copy of the CAF II grant opportunity article in Broadband Communities will be filed with these meeting minutes.